Round 4 - Francesco Molinari wins for second time

September 19, 2016

Local favorite Francesco Molinari beat England's Danny Willett by one shot on Sunday to become the first Italian to win his national Open twice since it became part of the European Tour in 1972.

The 2006 winner also became the first Italian to win any European Tour event twice after recording a final round of 65 for a 22-under finish at the Milan Golf Club event at Monza's Royal Park course.

Molinari, 33, had been four shots clear with six holes to play but U.S. Masters champion Willett, one of seven European Ryder Cup players competing in Milan, cut the gap to one with a birdie and an eagle at the 13th and 14th respectively.

"I had the ideal start, I couldn't start any better," said Molinari, who is not in the European Ryder Cup team that faces the United States at Hazeltine, Minnesota from Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

"When I birdied 12, I got four shots (clear) and thought maybe I could relax a bit and I got punished straight away. Coming in I had nothing left, I was just playing with my soul," added the 2010 and 2012 Ryder Cup player.

Molinari will collect 500,000 euros ($557,750.00) in prize money for his fourth European Tour win and first since the 2012 Spanish Open.

Spain's Nacho Elvira and Chris Paisley of England tied for third place at 18-under.

Germany's Martin Kaymer, who is in the European Ryder Cup team, finished 12-under and tied for 20th.

Round 3 - Alexander Levy leads weather hit event

September 18, 2016

Alexander Levy surged into a one-shot lead midway through the third round of the weather-affected Italian Open before play was suspended due to darkness on Saturday.

The Frenchman started the afternoon six shots behind second-round leader Chris Paisley but began with an eagle and had five birdies in a brilliant front nine.

Levy was on 14 under after 12 holes when play was suspended, one shot ahead of Paisley, home favorite Francesco Molinari, Danny Willett, and Chris Hanson.

''I played well the first two days but I started really strongly today,'' Levy said.

''Nice eagle on the first, nice birdie on the second, and I kept going like that ... I don't know what will happen tomorrow but it's just nice to be playing some really good golf again.''

Bad weather affected the first two days of the Italian Open and meant that half the field had yet to start their second rounds on Saturday morning.

Seeking his first European Tour win, Paisley shot an 8-under 63 in the morning to take a one-stroke lead into the third round but the Englishman bogeyed the first.

More than half of Darren Clarke's Europe team, including Willett, is competing in Monza ahead of the Ryder Cup at the end of the month.

Round 2 - Chris Paisley leads weather hit day

September 17, 2016

Chris Paisley took a one-stroke lead in the second round of the Italian Open on Friday before thunderstorms ended play early.

Seeking his first European Tour win, Paisley was at 10-under through 13 holes, putting him one shot ahead of Masters champion and fellow Englishman Danny Willett.

Clubhouse leader Richard Green, Chris Hanson and Alexander Levy were at 8-under, a shot clear of Andy Sullivan and defending champion and overnight leader Rikard Karlberg, who didn't start his second round.

The second round was scheduled to be completed at 7:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) Saturday morning at the Golf Club Milano, next to Monza's Formula One circuit.

More than half of Darren Clarke's Europe team - including Willett and Sullivan - is competing in Monza with the Ryder Cup scheduled for Hazeltine in Minnesota at the end of the month.

Round 1 - Rikard Karlberg off to solid defence

September 16, 2016

Sweden's Rikard Karlberg fended off fatigue to begin his defence of the rain-affected Italian Open by carving out a one-shot lead over local hope Francesco Molinari on Thursday in Milan.

Almost five hours of play were lost on the opening day of the EPGA event after heavy rain and lightning battered the Parco Reale di Monza course in the early hours of the morning.

But Karlberg, who secured his maiden EPGA title at the Open last year when he birdied the second extra hole to beat Martin Kaymer in a dramatic play-off, put those concerns to one side on his way to a seven-under-par 64.

Karlberg boasted six birdies, including three in his opening four holes, and after suffering his only bogey on the par-four eighth, he made amends with an eagle on the par-five ninth.

"That's as good as it gets," said Karlberg, 29. "It was a great round. I felt at a few tournaments there have been too many bogeys, I haven't been able to save par to get the round going and today I did that.

"I kept my cool even though it was a longer day. Standing over the last shot into green on the ninth I just told myself, 'I'm so tired, but it's just one more shot'. Pleased to execute as good as I did."

Fellow Swede Robert Karlsson is tied for third place on five under with Spain's Adrian Otaegui, with nine players including England's Richard Bland sharing a tie for fifth place.

At four shots off the pace is Sweden's Peter Hanson and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark, although some of the big names in the field struggled to keep apace, while others had yet to complete their round due to delays with the weather.

England's Lee Westwood had only two bogeys in his one-under-par round of 70 but with only three birdies on his card the Ryder Cup team player is six shots off the pace.

Westwood said this week was all about preparation for the Ryder Cup on September 27 to October 2 at the American venue of Hazeltine.

"Hopefully I can get myself in contention and get the competitive juices flowing," said the 43-year-old.

"Next week is a week off, I’ll work on my game at home and do a bit of gym work to keep the body ticking over, but I don’t want to overdo it because the Ryder Cup is obviously a long and tiring week, both mentally and physically."

Germany's Marcel Siem, Scotland's Stephen Gallacher, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and France's Victor Dubuisson were among 22 players to make par.

Seventeen players failed to complete even one hole because of the nasty mixture of heavy rain, thunder and lightning.

Scores

 

About Ben Brett